Last August I had the pleasure of touring Gillian Matthews' personal garden. If that name sounds familiar it's because she's the mastermind behind Ravenna Gardens, the fabulous garden shop at Seattle's U-Village.
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If you're visiting the Northwest Flower & Garden Festaval this week at the Washington State Convention Center, there's also a Ravenna Gardens booth there, it's always a highlight and hence my scheduling. I thought now would be a great time to pay tribute to this inspiring lady and what she's created.
The occasion of my touring Gillian's garden was same the "NHS Meet the Board" tour that I visited Jason Jorgensen's garden on. I should have taken a photo of the line to get into Gillian's garden, it was substantial. At least we had a great hell-strip garden to admire while we waited...
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If you detect an odd color to the light it's because it wasn't just overcast that day, there was a bit of smoke in the sky from various summer wildfires in Canada and around Washington state.
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A reminder to myself that I need to grow Verbena bonariensis this year. Lots of it.
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While waiting we were also able to take in the small front garden, since the line was up the driveway to enter the back garden.
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Now I'm standing in the driveway and looking to my right out across the front garden (taking the last photo ^ I was standing on the public sidewalk).
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On the front porch (the kind lady behind me in line was holding my spot)...
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Looking back at the front door.
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And down at the short path in front of me. I took that gravel jog to the left...
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...and ended up here.
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But now I'm headed into the back garden at last!
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Looking back at where I just came from...
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And wow...the back garden opens out in front of me...
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I love this corner! Climbing to the top of the steel and gravel steps...
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There is a dining area.
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And plantings behind.
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And to the side...
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In fact there's an entire veggie garden up here!
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Back down by the dining table I'm torn. Do I admire the plantings right in front of me, or check out the deck?
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The plantings won. I mean just look at that carpet of Acaena inermis 'Purpurea'...
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Eventually I made my way back down to the ground level and up the stairs onto the deck.
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Where I could stare at the Acaena some more...
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There were plenty of other fabulous plants, many of them in decorative pots. I gave them all their proper attention.
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The angle is completely wrong, this photo was taken from up by the tomatoes in stock tanks, but since I didn't take one of the covered seating area as you approach from the deck, well, this will have to be a stand in. Pretend you're approaching from the right, by the dark-haired lady in the chair...
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Oh well never mind, I scared both ladies off with my camera. All the better to photograph the plants though.
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To the side of the deck were rusted metal rounds, planted.
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It was all lovely.
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It was however time to make my way out of the garden, so others waiting in line could come in.
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Someone recently asked how I manage to photograph gardens without people in the shots. It's difficult! Of course since gardens are for people (or so I've read) I never worry about getting a few in the pics, but of course it's a balancing act. I want you to see the garden, not the other people visiting...
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All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
If you're visiting the Northwest Flower & Garden Festaval this week at the Washington State Convention Center, there's also a Ravenna Gardens booth there, it's always a highlight and hence my scheduling. I thought now would be a great time to pay tribute to this inspiring lady and what she's created.
The occasion of my touring Gillian's garden was same the "NHS Meet the Board" tour that I visited Jason Jorgensen's garden on. I should have taken a photo of the line to get into Gillian's garden, it was substantial. At least we had a great hell-strip garden to admire while we waited...
If you detect an odd color to the light it's because it wasn't just overcast that day, there was a bit of smoke in the sky from various summer wildfires in Canada and around Washington state.
A reminder to myself that I need to grow Verbena bonariensis this year. Lots of it.
While waiting we were also able to take in the small front garden, since the line was up the driveway to enter the back garden.
Now I'm standing in the driveway and looking to my right out across the front garden (taking the last photo ^ I was standing on the public sidewalk).
On the front porch (the kind lady behind me in line was holding my spot)...
Looking back at the front door.
And down at the short path in front of me. I took that gravel jog to the left...
...and ended up here.
But now I'm headed into the back garden at last!
Looking back at where I just came from...
And wow...the back garden opens out in front of me...
I love this corner! Climbing to the top of the steel and gravel steps...
There is a dining area.
And plantings behind.
And to the side...
In fact there's an entire veggie garden up here!
Back down by the dining table I'm torn. Do I admire the plantings right in front of me, or check out the deck?
The plantings won. I mean just look at that carpet of Acaena inermis 'Purpurea'...
Eventually I made my way back down to the ground level and up the stairs onto the deck.
Where I could stare at the Acaena some more...
There were plenty of other fabulous plants, many of them in decorative pots. I gave them all their proper attention.
The angle is completely wrong, this photo was taken from up by the tomatoes in stock tanks, but since I didn't take one of the covered seating area as you approach from the deck, well, this will have to be a stand in. Pretend you're approaching from the right, by the dark-haired lady in the chair...
Oh well never mind, I scared both ladies off with my camera. All the better to photograph the plants though.
To the side of the deck were rusted metal rounds, planted.
It was all lovely.
It was however time to make my way out of the garden, so others waiting in line could come in.
Someone recently asked how I manage to photograph gardens without people in the shots. It's difficult! Of course since gardens are for people (or so I've read) I never worry about getting a few in the pics, but of course it's a balancing act. I want you to see the garden, not the other people visiting...
All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.